A/N: Heellooo Beatle people! This is PeacexLove94 typing in her usual cheery internet tone, and I'd like to thank you all for choosing to read my story. I hope you like it, because it took a lot of work to write. Actually, no, that was a lie. I'm making my best attempts to become an artistic virtuoso, and writing is one of my more refined skills, though formatting a story is difficult because nobody ever taught me how to properly format a lot of things. But enough about me, why don't you just read the story? It's the usual rubbish but it doesn't cost much. Haha!
John had known Madeline Blackmond for as long as he could remember. The sweet little red-haired girl had had a crush on him since they started school. She had shared her brand new box of crayons with him on the first day of school and their friendship had only grown as she began to appear in the most unlikely places, such as when John would visit Strawberry Fields.
Once, they had even kissed when they were around 8 years old. Maddie had asked John why boys always said that girls had cooties, and vice versa, and when he had said that it was because they didn't realize they actually liked each other, he couldn't control himself and found the bravery to plant a kiss on the girl's cheek. He was worried that she might scream and run away and get him in trouble, but instead she just blushed a little and scooted a little bit closer to him. When Maddie's parents came to pick her up, she acted as if nothing had happened between them, and said goodbye.
That night as her mother tucked her into bed, Maddie decided to ask her what a kiss was and what it meant.
"Well sweetie, a kiss can mean anything, but it really means love." Genevieve said.
"Love? What's that?"
"It's hard to explain, honey, but it's like an unbreakable bond between family, friends, or that one special person who makes your life whole." Jenny said, "Such as when your mother says she loves her baby very much and she is so proud of her she just can't wait for her angel to go to sleep so she can have sweet dreams. Goodnight sweetie."
The next day, sitting in the forest in Strawberry Fields, Maddie leaned over and kissed John.
"Remember how you kissed me yesterday?" she asked as John stared at her in panic.
"Yeh," he said, relaxing.
"Well, I thought about it, and it turns out it means we have a true friendship," she said.
He blinked as he tried to understand what she was saying.
"It means you like me. Do you? Because I like you, John."
"I do like you, Maddie," John had said.
They were just kids then, and neither one really had any idea what they were talking about, but they certainly knew more about the subject of love when they were around 16 years old.
While John attended Quarry Bank High School, Maddie went to the neighboring women's school, Calder High School for Girls. She saw John around every once in a while, but her instincts told her to keep her distance from him because he was a Teddy boy. He smoked and drank and had his way with girls who practically threw themselves at him just so that they could say that they did it with the coolest boy in school. Maddie shuddered whenever she heard those stories.
Of course, she was still friends with John, but they didn't really get to talk anymore. She was lucky if she could catch him alone and sober while she was walking home. She didn't live too far from his house, but again, she tried to avoid any trouble she might've run into.
That all changed one early Saturday morning when Maddie found herself home alone. It was warmer than usual in Liverpool, being that it was almost Summer. Maddie found it to be too warm for her liking with the house locked up tight like a greenhouse. She opened all of the windows and put on an old Glenn Miller record, but unsatisfied with the swing record, she swapped it out for a rock n' roll LP and danced to it while she cleaned the house.
John was on his way to and stopped when he heard Johnny B. Goode through the open window. He crept up to the window and watched as Maddie sang along, becoming mesmerized as she danced and added her own cleaning choreography. He hopped up on the window sill and tried not to laugh as he watched Maddie having a bit of fun for once in her life. The song ended and he started clapping, startling Maddie, as she'd been completely unaware that a boy was sitting in her window.
"Oh my gosh, John! You scared me. What are you doing here?" she said.
"Sorry. I was passing by and I heard ya singing." he replied. He nodded toward the record player, "Nice taste in music ya got there."
"Thanks." Maddie said, blushing. "Would you like some breakfast?" she asked.
"Oh, I'd love some brekky," John said, "Mimi makes the best scouse I've ever 'ad, but she's not great at breakfast."
"Well, I don't claim to be a professional cook, but I do know how not to burn anything." Maddie laughed lightheartedly.
"Sounds good t' me!" John laughed, climbing through the window.
Maddie let John pick an album to listen to and he chose an Elvis Presley record. Maddie couldn't help but groove to the beat and she started singing again as she prepared their food.
"I'm glad you came by, John. It's been a long time since we've really talked like friends." Maddie said, lifting her teacup to her lips and taking a sip.
"Yeh, it's been awhile," John said.
"So what have you been up to?" she asked.
"I've got a band now. The Quarrymen. We play skiffle and rock n' roll." John said, beaming with pride as he talked about his band.
"That's great, John! I bet you'll be the best band in the world someday." Maddie said. John nodded.
The front door unlocked and Maddie's family came in.
"Hello Maddie!" her mother said. She saw Maddie and John eating in the living room. "Oh, and hello John! Haven't seen you in a while."
"Jenny, could you help me with these bags?" Maddie's father said, struggling to get through the door.
"Sure thing, Craig." Genevieve said, taking the bags from his care. As Craig looked around the living room, he too noticed John in the house. He was about to ask Maddie what he was doing in their house, but he was interrupted by the shouts of Maddie's two younger sisters, Clara and Jennifer. The two were arguing over a boy whom they both liked.
"He gave ME a piece of his candy bar!" Clara spat.
"Well he told ME that I looked really pretty today!" Jennifer retaliated.
"Girls! What are you screaming about?" Maddie asked.
Jennifer took a deep breath. "'tmakeClaracrybecausehe'ssonice!"
"Slow down, luv. Who's this boy Jack?" John asked.
"Maddie, can you four get this resolved outside? We don't need a fight breaking out inside." her father said.
"Sure Dad. Come on, everybody, outside." Maddie said, ushering her sisters outside. John followed her outside and they all sat on what little lawn they had. Maddie looked at the cramped backyard and longed for the days of her childhood in America when she had a backyard. "So, what was the problem again?"
Jennifer took another deep breath.
"Ah! Slowly." she said before her sister could say anything.
John stepped in to help Maddie, "So there's this boy," he started.
"Named Jack," Clara said.
"And I like him."
"No, I like him more!"
"Shut up, Clara!" Jennifer snapped.
"Girls! Don't you want us to help?" Maddie said, breaking up the argument before it could escalate.
"Jack told me he liked me, and he said I was pretty, and then he told Clara he liked her, and he gave her his food." Jennifer finished.
"He said he liked both of you?" Maddie asked.
"As friends or that he REALLY liked ya?" John asked.
"Well... He didn't say." Clara said.
Jennifer thought for a moment. "Yeah, but Maddie said that you can only tell if someone really likes you if they kiss you."
"Eeeww! But boys have cooties!"
"When did I say that, Jen?" Maddie asked.
"Well, you said that when somebody likes you, they'll kiss you." she said.
"I said that a kiss means love. Love is an unbreakable bond between family and friends, and you really have to look for it."
"Oh. So he's not even worth it?" Clara asked.
"Well, if you were really interested in him, go for it. Otherwise, boys come and go throughout your life. Sometimes they don't hang around for long, and sometimes they're there to stay. Sometimes they're people you've known since you were a kid, and sometimes they're a love at first sight." she glanced over at John. She was about to ask him something important to her when her father poked his head out the back door, "Wow, that didn't take long to get sorted," he said, looking around. His eyes fell upon John again and he had to think quickly to get that bad boy away from his daughter. " John, I think it's about time you were on your way." he said. Maddie was going to ask him why John had to leave right then, but he retreated back inside before she could say anything.
"What's his problem?" John asked.
"Oh, Dad just thinks you're a bad influence on me and he doesn't want your bad boy reputation to alienate me."
A/N: Wow, Maddie's father is pretty harsh about who his daughter can be around, isn't he? What do you think's gonna happen?
Eh, alright, there's some awkward moments in this, but don't give up on me yet. I promise the next chapter will be more involved! I just don't like diving straight into hot romances without any background or explanation of why things are the way they are. Also, I'm sorry if I made John seem out of character. I don't know if I did or not, but he probably didn't hang out at girls' houses or stay friends with them forever (or what seems like it).
PeacexLove out!
